


Hands

by Michelle_Leon



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Adulthood, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Friendship, High School, Karasuno, Love, Post-Graduation, Pregnancy, Rare Pair, Rare Pairings, Romance, Volleyball, high school romance, tsukishima kei - Freeform, tsukiyachi, tsukkiyachi, yachi hitoka - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:35:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27191150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Michelle_Leon/pseuds/Michelle_Leon
Summary: Tsukishima Kei had large hands. This wasn’t exactly brand new information. It was a known fact, one that Yachi knew since they were first years. Tsukki had long, nimble fingers that through the years bore the scars of an athlete. From clipped nails, to cuts, to nearly broken fingers, to actual broken fingers, Yachi has seen and been through it all. [A Tsukishima Kei x Yachi Hitoka fic ]-- Completed: 01/24/2021 --
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei & Yachi Hitoka, Tsukishima Kei/Yachi Hitoka
Comments: 79
Kudos: 246





	1. 3rd Year

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Hello,
> 
> So first of all - I can't believe it took me being put in Quarantine to realize the goodness that is Haikyuu! Long story short, when I had to work from home I binged watched a bunch of anime haha adulting, who is she? and Haikyuu became #1 on my list and ever since then I've been hooked!
> 
> Which brings me here! I've had this fic idea in my drafts for the longest time and so after months of putting it to the side, I finally decided to write it out. Tsukishima x Yachi happens to be a "ship" I'm oddly drawn to haha maybe it's the height difference? But anyway, hope you guys like it! It's a one-shot right now, but I might make a few more chapters! Enjoy!

**3rd Year:**

**After School Practice**

Karasuno High School’s gymnasium was full of life by the time third-year student and boy’s volleyball club manager, Yachi Hitoka walked in. She quickly glanced around the gym and felt content at the sight that greeted her. 

On one side of the gym, Hinata and Kageyama were doing drills with some of the first year members. On the other, she smiled proudly at Yamaguchi as he ran around commenting and praising each of his player’s forms. 

Then there was Tsukishima. 

Yachi quietly watched as he and two of their second year’s, executed yet another flawless block. The thundering sound of the ball making contact with the blocker’s hands was absolutely exhilarating. One she _never_ got tired of hearing. Though she’s watched Tsukishima in action for years, the way he moved with such calculated ease, never ceased to _thrill_ her. 

“Nice block,” Yachi commented with a grin, as she made her approach towards the towering middle blocker. 

“It could have been better.” Tsukki muttered before turning to the other two blockers with him, “Oi, you two, tighten up your form next time and don’t leave any gaps on the edges.”

The two second year’s muttered a quick, “yes, sir!” before proceeding to scurry away to continue with their practice. 

Yachi let out a soft chuckle, “I thought they did fine, _Kei-kun_ ,” she stated, earning a soft mutter of a “tch” from Tsukki. “They’re learning from you, so they’re in good hands.” 

Though he’s known by the group to not smile often, there was something about the petite blonde that always made him break character. The way she carried herself now with such grace and confidence, a huge contrast from when her journey as a manager first began, never ceased to _excite_ him. 

“Oh! Speaking of hands-” Like clock-work, Yachi takes hold of the middle blocker’s hand and begins to apply tape around his fingers. 

Tsukishima Kei had large hands. This wasn’t exactly brand new information. It was a known fact, one that Yachi knew since they were first years. Tsukki had long, nimble fingers that through the years bore the scars of an athlete. From clipped nails, to cuts, to nearly broken fingers, to actual broken fingers, Yachi has seen and been through it all.

“I can do this on my own you know,” Tsukki interjects, bringing her back from her silent musings. 

“I know you can,” Yachi replies yet she still has his hand on her own and continues to apply tape over each of his fingers. She can feel his eyes on her yet she wills herself to not meet his gaze. 

_Not yet_. 

As observant as ever, Tsukki is quick to notice her lack of eye contact. He lowers himself so that he’s close enough to whisper teasingly, “If you wanted to hold my hand, _Hitoka-chan_ , you could have just asked.” 

Yachi finally gives in and meets Tsukki’s gaze. There’s a knowing smirk on his lips and she finds herself shaking her head in amusement. 

“You and I both know-” she begins, applying the last bit of tape securely on his ring finger. “That if I want to hold your hand, _Kei-kun_ , I would just do so.” There’s mischief in her eyes, one that rivals his own, as she raises his hand to meet her lips. “All done,” she beams proudly as she walks away to check in with the rest of the team. 

  
  



	2. 1st Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima Kei had large hands. This wasn’t exactly brand new information. It was a known fact, one that Yachi knew since they were first years. Tsukki had long, nimble fingers that through the years bore the scars of an athlete. From clipped nails, to cuts, to nearly broken fingers, to actual broken fingers, Yachi has seen and been through it all. [A Tsukishima Kei x Yachi Hitoka fic ]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> First of all, thank you so much to those of who you who opened up my little fic and read it! :) This fic idea has literally been in my drafts for months but I never got the chance to write it out, until now! 
> 
> Anyhoo, this is my take on the Shiratorizawa x Karasuno game, adding a sprinkling of TsukkiYachi, of course! I've decided to make maybe 3 more chapters to this story. I somewhat had an idea of where I wanted to go with this, but alas, my mind is fickle and changes a lot haha. I hope you guys like this chapter, and see you again soon for next chapters to come!

**1st Year**

**Shiratorizawa vs Karasuno - Game**

It happened almost instantly.

Yamaguchi was the first to notice, then Kageyama. 

In the most pivotal moment of Karasuno’s match against the powerhouse that was Shiratorizawa, Tsukishima found himself injured. 

The moment his hand made contact with the ball, as he tried his best to deflect Ushijima’s powerful strike, he felt it almost immediately, the pain shooting through every inch of his fingertips. 

Sharp,

Aching,

Pain.

“Damn it,” Tsukki muttered through gritted teeth as he tried to get his fingers to move, only to be met with an even sharper pang. 

He could feel Coach Ukai and his teammates' presence as they made their way towards him, the curious stares from the opposing team and the mixed chatter from the crowd. At that moment, Tsukki felt like a wounded animal, a wounded animal on display for the world to see. 

“It must have been cut when you touched Ushijima’s spike,” Coach Ukai assessed as he took a look at his bleeding hand. Tsukki grimaced. Fate sure had a funny way of baring its fangs today. 

They were on their fifth set, with Shiratorizawa in the lead. Like the rest of his team members, he was tired, his energy nearing its end and the last thing he needed was to add an injury on top of his already waning strength. 

_“Damn it, at a time like this.”_ Fate truly had a cruel sense of humor.

He could hear Coach Ukai’s conversation with Narita. The second-year was subbing in as middle blocker, and though the rational part of his brain told him that he needed to get his hand checked, the adrenaline coursing through his veins told him otherwise.

Tsukki’s mind and heart began to race. Injury be damned, he was _not_ going down like this. 

He needed a plan and he needed one fast. 

Though the fact remained that he was injured, there was a silver lining to his predicament - it was just his pinky. His eyes darted towards the scoreboard, they _could_ catch up, they _could_ do it, they just had to push through.

_“If I can just endure the pain. How long does it take for it to stop bleeding? If I tape it, it’ll be stiff. The next rotation will have Hinata in the front-”_

“Get him to the infirmary,” Coach Ukai stated firmly, breaking Tsukki from his thoughts. For a moment, he wanted to stand his ground, tell the coach no and that he was fine. But, the throbbing, dull ache in his hand brought him back to reality.

He knew that arguing would be pointless and that claiming that he was fine and that his injury could be resolved with some tape was absolutely out of the question. Without much of a fuss, Tsukki knew he had no choice but to agree. 

A frown formed on his lips as he made his way off the court, accompanied by Kiyoko. He quickly turned to Hinata, telling the small firecracker of a middle blocker to buy him some time until his return. Hinata, always the optimist boldly declared that by the time he got back they’d be on their way to nationals. Though others would find Hinata’s words encouraging and uplifting, Tsukki, who was not a fan of baseless self-confidence felt a wave of uncertainty. 

He _needed_ to get back in the game and he needed to do it fast. 

By the time he and Kiyoko made it outside the court, Tsukki found himself face to face with his older brother and much to his surprise, _her_ \- Yachi Hitoka, the new volleyball club manager.

Akiteru is out of breath and Yachi, who clearly tried her best to keep up with the older male was panting heavily next to him. For a moment, he forgets all about the ache in his hand, and instead stares openly at the petite blond with her flushed cheeks, her parted lips and the strands of loose blond hair falling over her eyes. 

_“What am I doing?”_

Just as quickly as the thoughts entered his mind, Tsukki brushes them off and looks away, glad that Yachi had been too busy regaining her composure to notice his eyes on her.

“Kei!” Akiteru called out, positioning himself directly in front of him. 

“Nii-san, what are you doing here?” Tsukki asked, trying his best to sound unfazed by both Yachi and his older brother’s presence.

“I came to see my younger brother fight bravely, of course!” Akiteru stated before proceeding to eye the injury in question. “Though it looks like you’re not going to _die_ from that.”

Tsukki resisted the urge to roll his eyes, Akiteru was always the dramatic one. 

He smirked at his brother’s words, “what do you mean die? Even if I’m alive I’m being pretty useless where it matters most. Though, after five sets, I’m pretty tired so it’s sort of nice to be able to rest.” 

The moment his words leave his lips, Tsukki knows that neither his brother, Yachi or even Kiyoko are buying his words. 

Despite his calm demeanor, the truth remained the same - he didn’t want to rest, not now of all times. What he wanted was to be back on the court, back with the team and back to facing Ushijima. 

There’s a deep frown etched on Akiteru’s face, yet Tsukki doesn’t care. Instead, he finds himself sneaking a glance at Yachi from the corner of his eye. He’s not entirely sure what prompted him to do so, but he silently watches the smaller manager and now that she’s regained her composure, there’s a look of absolute worry etched on her face, one he finds both confusing yet surprising. 

“ _Why does she look so worried? It’s not like we're close friends.”_ Tsukki thought to himself, unsure of how to interpret her reaction. 

She was the manager in training, she offered him a towel once. That was the extent of their relationship and interaction. 

Yet…

_“Why do I feel warm? Why does it bother me that she looks so sad? Why does she look sad?”_

“Tsukishima-kun,” Kiyoko begins, “you don’t have to worry about going back just to see them lose.”

Tsukki sighed. Even if Kiyoko was right, he still couldn’t help but think otherwise. They were going up against players from Shiratorizawa, an elite volleyball powerhouse. Not only that but Ushijima was a machine, one that couldn’t be stopped. 

He tried after all, and look where that got him. 

Injured,

In pain,

And now missing out on a match.

“S-she’s right, you know.” 

Her soft voice catches him off-guard. From what he’s known and seen, Yachi wasn’t the type to put herself in conversations that didn’t pertain to her. He glances up at Yachi and to his surprise he finds her openly looking his way. The worry that was once etched on her face has now been replaced by a surprising, new fierce determination.

He resists the urge to smile. After all, this was very out of character for her...and though he wouldn’t say it out loud, especially not in front of his brother or even Kiyoko, he liked it. 

“Ah! Umm, I-I’m so sorry! I’m sorry for jumping in on your conversation! But what I meant to say is that the team is strong, and so are you. What I mean to say is that _everyone_ is strong! and that they will do everything they can to make sure you’re returning to a win and not a loss! I’m sorry for chiming in! I shouldn’t have!” 

The smile he’s been trying to suppress finally breaks as he watches in a span of seconds, Yachi revert back to her original self. But now that he’s had a glimpse, his curiosity is piqued. 

“Yachi-san,” Tsukki begins, surprising himself and the others around him. He adjusts the towel covering his injured hand, “Come walk with me to the infirmary.” 

He could read blocks, his opponents and calculate their moves. But at that very moment, Tsukishima Kei couldn’t quite read Yachi Hitoka. On the outside she was a nervous, overly apologetic, bumbling manager-in-training. But, from the small glimpse she showed, she had a side to her that radiated determination and confidence, a side that was dormant for now but in time, he knew would bloom and make its appearance.


	3. 1st Year - Continued

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima Kei had large hands. This wasn’t exactly brand new information. It was a known fact, one that Yachi knew since they were first years. Tsukki had long, nimble fingers that through the years bore the scars of an athlete. From clipped nails, to cuts, to nearly broken fingers, to actual broken fingers, Yachi has seen and been through it all. [A Tsukishima Kei x Yachi Hitoka fic ]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> Sorry for the delay, adulting has gotten the best of me. As much as I'd love to ignore her, she's an insistent one haha! I've been trying to find time to draft out this chapter every chance I get, so motion sickness be damned, I started writing this while on my commute to work and finally got around to making edits/updates.
> 
> So, here's another chapter, which is a continuation of the Shiratorizawa vs Karasuno scene -hope you enjoy the cheesy, fluffy, silly moments and see you all soon in the next chapters to come!

**1st Year**

**Shiratorizawa vs Karasuno - Game (continued)**

The walk to the infirmary was draped in awkward silence. Then again, Tsukishima saw this coming considering his sudden request to have Yachi accompany him rather than Kiyoko was completely unexpected. Even his older brother, Akiteru who always had some witty retort to say was rendered speechless and had to be dragged back into the gymnasium by Kiyoko.

Tsukki groaned. Why did he have to open his mouth? What on earth was he thinking? 

Oh right, he _wasn't_ thinking - not at all. Spontaneous, rash decisions were something Hinata did, _not_ him. Yet, here he was acting like the fireball middle blocker, who always acted first before thinking. 

He could practically hear Yachi's racing thoughts as she walked beside him. The manager in training looked absolutely confused, yet secretly, he was pleased that she didn't question his sudden request and simply went along with it. 

The walk to the infirmary was not a long one, it was right around the corner, but for the two first year students it felt like _forever_ . He wanted to say something, _anything_ but he didn’t know where to start. 

_Thanks for coming with me?_ Tsukki cringed. That sounded lame. 

_I need to get back to the game?_ Too desperate. 

He bit the inside of his cheek. Talking to Yachi shouldn’t have been a problem but here he was struggling to get the right words out. Did the injury to his fingers magically damage his rationality as well? Why was he trying so hard? This was Yachi for crying out loud. She was just a girl, just the team manager-in-training, just the same nervous, jumpy first-year he’s gotten to know the past few months.

 _Get it together, idiot._ Tsukki reprimanded himself. _Just say something, stop being lame._

_It's blood loss. It has to be the blood loss._ Tsukki decided, after all, why else was he finding the task of coherently forming words and striking a conversation so difficult. Though he was known for being socially selective, and granted most of his conversations consisted of insults, Tsukki was by no means socially inept. 

"Um...Tsukishima-kun-"

His gaze quickly darted towards Yachi's direction. The petite blonde was still staring straight ahead, there was a slight flush to her cheeks, one that he suddenly couldn’t stop noticing. 

"H-how's your hand?" 

He looked at the hand in question, still wrapped in the towel. It was stained with spots of dried blood and he grimaced. He could still feel the sharp pang of pain course through his fingers, but at least the bleeding had stopped. He felt relieved. With the bleeding issue out of the way, maybe he could convince the doctor to send him back. But then again, there was still the unknown matter of whether he sprained or broke his fingers, he was after all still feeling pain. 

"Promise not to tell?" He began with a slight smirk. Typical Tsukki fashion would have had him say that his hand was fine and that it was no big deal, but for some reason the middle blocker just couldn't bring himself to lie. At least not to her. With a smirk on his lips he openly declared, "it hurts like hell." 

Without a doubt, his revelation came as an absolute surprise to Yachi, who looked at him with wide expressive eyes. For a moment, he immediately regretted his words but when the small laugh escaped her lips, it was his turn to look surprised. "I'm sorry," she said in between fits of laughter, "I didn't think you'd actually admit that!" she declared.

"You ask didn't you?" Tsukki replied, trying to keep some semblance of cool. He could feel the warmth on his cheeks. 

Yachi nodded at his words, "That I did, it's just surprising to hear those words from you." She's no longer staring straight ahead, but instead looks up at him with her bright eyes and warm smile, "I appreciate you being honest, Tsukishima-kun!" 

Her light brown eyes, filled with so much mirth catches him by surprise. He's never really paid much attention to Yachi's eyes, but the warm hues were simply so inviting, so pure and so...

_Pretty, very pretty._

He quickly turned his gaze away, suddenly embarrassed at himself for letting such thoughts enter his mind. "If anyone finds out, I'll know it was you." He mumbled like a petulant child, causing Yachi to laugh even more at his words.

"I promise not to tell!" She declared proudly. He tries to hide the smirk forming on his lips again. He’s glad that she sees his words as a joke and didn’t interpret it the other way as he thought she would. "And if I do-" She begins.

He turns to face her again, interested to hear the rest of her words. "And if _you_ do?" 

Yachi pauses for a moment, thinking of a suitable "punishment" should she break their pact. "Ah! I got it!" There's a twinkle in her eyes, an enticing mix of determination and a playful sparkle he wants to see more of. "If I do, I promise to hold responsibility and take care of any injuries you may have moving forward!" 

Her response catches him off guard. It was definitely not what he was expecting. Did she truly just unknowingly (or knowingly) promise that she'd take care of him or at least tend to his injuries? Was that a fluke? Did she mean it? 

Their eyes meet and the twinkle in her eyes remain. Yachi carefully takes hold of his wrapped hand and Tsukki suddenly feels the warmth spread across his cheeks. With her much smaller hands on his larger ones, he’s unsure of what to say, unsure of what to do. 

“As the future manager of the boy’s volleyball team, I’ll _hand-_ le it, Tsukishima-kun!” Yachi says with a smile. She then bursts into fits of laughter, one that’s absolutely baffling yet infectious. “Sorry, I'm so sorry! This is the wrong time to make puns!” 

_Did she really just?_

Yachi continues to laugh at her own cheesy joke and he can't help but smile.

 _You're an odd one, Yachi-san._ He thought as he continues to regard her with silent amusement. He shakes his head and offers her a genuine smile, “I’m in good hands then.”


	4. 2nd Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima Kei had large hands. This wasn’t exactly brand new information. It was a known fact, one that Yachi knew since they were first years. Tsukki had long, nimble fingers that through the years bore the scars of an athlete. From clipped nails, to cuts, to nearly broken fingers, to actual broken fingers, Yachi has seen and been through it all. [A Tsukishima Kei x Yachi Hitoka fic ]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> It is finally Friday! After a long week, I am ready to enjoy my weekend, which will most likely be spent being a hermit, binge-watching anime and catching up on some impulse manga purchases. What are your plans for the weekend?
> 
> So I thought about this chapter after watching the Sports Festival episode from the anime "Boarding School Juliet" - if you guys are in the market for a ridiculously funny and insane, rom-com anime, I highly recommend you checking out "Boarding School Juliet," it will not disappoint! In the sports festival episode, there's a scene where they play a game called "grab-the-bandana," and that scene was just too hilarious that I had to put my Haikyuu spin on it, with the Yachi x Tsukki twist of course!
> 
> On a side note - Thank you, thank you so much for reading my fic! I hope you guys are enjoying it so far! I already have another Yachi x Tsukishima fic in the works, but won't post that until I finish this one haha. By the way, this chapter was getting too long so I decided to split it into two parts, so I hope to see you all in the next part!

**2nd Year:**

**Of Teamwork & Sports Festivals (Part I)**

“Tsukishima!” 

The moment he heard his name, Tsukishima Kei knew that staying inside the classroom to eat his lunch in peace had been a  _ terrible _ choice.

It was only a few minutes into the lunch period and Hinata, much to Tsukki’s dismay, was being as loud as ever. The small, loud-mouth accompanied by the brooding King of the Court, had somehow infiltrated his peaceful lunch break and were now demanding he join their ridiculous team for their school’s annual sports day festival. 

He already had to deal with the two on a regular basis for volleyball practice; there was no way he was getting roped into another team building lunacy. Volleyball was plenty enough, thank you very much.

“We need you in our team!” Hinata declared. “Yamaguchi said he’s in, you’re the only missing piece left!” He continued, getting way too close for comfort. 

Tsukki groaned. 

Hinata clearly didn’t understand the meaning of no. Instead, the fiery middle blocker saw “no” as a challenge, one that was attainable so long as he kept pushing and pushing. By the looks of it, Tsukki was certain that Hinata was  _ not _ leaving anytime soon and that he was going to do what he did best - bother him to the point of submission. 

“If you’re looking for another runner for the relay race, you can count me out.” Tsukki stated firmly, finally pausing his music and averting his attention to the two. “Unlike you two psychopaths, I’m not fond of running.”

“It’s not for the relay!” Hinata pressed, getting even closer and louder as he slammed both fists on Tsukki’s desk for emphasis. 

Tsukki raised a brow as he turned to Kageyama for confirmation. “He’s right, it’s not for the relay. It’s for grab-the-bandana,” The dark haired setter stated with a shrug.

“Grab-the-bandana?” Tsukki began through gritted teeth. Not only did Hinata and Kageyama disrupt his lunch break, they were demanding that he join them to form a team for grab-the-bandana, the most contact centered game in the festival. For starters, he already saw how this would pan out. As the tallest of the three, he was probably expected to carry either Hinata or Yamaguchi on his shoulders. The middle blocker cringed, he was not propping over  _ anyone _ over his shoulders, _ especially _ not Hinata. 

“I’m not carrying any of you idiots,” Tsukki declared swiftly.

Hinata began to open his mouth to protest, but was instantly cut off by Kageyama. “You’re not carrying either one of us,” he began, surprisingly unfazed by the blonde’s typical name-calling. 

Tsukki turned to Hinata who by now was nodding his head vigorously and jumping up and down excitedly like an overly caffeinated child. 

It didn’t take him long to piece everything together. The team would consist of Hinata, Kageyama, Yamaguchi and him (should he join). With his suspicions confirmed, he was responsible for “carrying” one of their members on his shoulders, but according to the king, it was neither one of them. Tsukki looked away. Though he already knew the answer, he couldn’t help but ask, “then who?”

Yachi, who had been busy working on a new design for a poster, stared curiously at the group of boys standing outside her classroom. Hinata, she noted, was as excited as ever, while Kageyama, Yamaguchi and much to her surprise, Tsukishima -  _ what was he doing here? -  _ were quietly standing behind him. 

“Um...did something happen?” The volleyball club manager asked cautiously. 

“Yachi-san,” Hinata began dramatically, “you’re our missing piece.”

The petite blond stared incredulously at the group, “Huh?” 

“Idiot, stop talking in riddles and just explain it to her.” Kageyama reprimanded, slapping the red-head over the back of his head. He then turned to Yachi to finish what Hinata  _ clearly _ hadn’t started. “The sports festival is coming up soon and we’re entering one of the games.”

Yachi nodded robotically, still completely unsure where the conversation was going. 

Were they here to ask for permission? __

Did they even need her permission to take part in the games?

She thought carefully for a moment.  _ What does this have to do with me?  _ She pondered.  _ Kiyoko-senpai never mentioned anything in particular about sports festival games.  _

Yachi was more than aware that the sports festival was indeed a few days away, after all, she did help design some of the sports festival posters that hung around the school. Though she was not overly enthusiastic about it, she did enjoy the time she spent with her friends. 

This time around, she knew it was going to be different. She now had a new addition of friends in her life -the dynamic duo, Kageyama and Hinata, the sweet and soft-spoken, Yamaguchi and the tall, imposing Tsukishima, the rag tag group of volleyball players, who she also happened to manage. 

“We’re planning on winning grab-the bandana, and we need you to complete our group.” Kageyama continued. 

Yachi gulped. They weren’t here to ask for her permission to join the games, they wanted  _ her  _ to join the games with them! She processed Kageyama’s words carefully and she suddenly found herself feeling nauseous. 

Grab-the-bandana? Were they nuts? Did they just really ask her to take part in the most contact centered activity in the festival? For starters, she already saw how this would pan out. As the smallest member of the group, she knew for sure she would be launched into the air, propped up on one of their shoulders. It didn’t take a genius to determine the fact that out of the four boys, Tsukishima was the tallest and therefore, would most likely have that role.

In short, she would be suspended in the air, fighting against other teams trying to steal their bandana while protecting their own, all while being held firmly by none other than Tsukishima. Yachi paled. There was no way she was agreeing to this.

“Um...am I really the only option?” She questioned carefully. 

Both Hinata and Kageyama instantly replied with a strong, firm yes, while Yamaguchi and Tsukishima remained quiet on the sidelines. She met Yamaguchi’s eyes, and in turn the second-year offered her a feeble smile, as if to say that everything was going to be alright. She tried to smile in return but found herself struggling to do so. Why her? Why couldn’t they find someone else? Her eyes carefully traveled towards Tsukishima but unlike Yamaguchi, the middle blocker continued to look away. 

“I’ve never played grab-the-bandana before,” she began carefully, hoping that her revelation would prompt them to move past her and seek another for the team. “Um...m-maybe I can just watch from the sidelines?”

“Not an option,” Kageyama interjected quickly without much hesitation. “With  _ bean-pole _ as our center, we need someone light and small on top of him.” 

Yachi blushed furiously. Why did Kageyama have to put it _ that _ way and so candidly?

“Um...can’t Hinata-kun do it? He’s just as small as-” 

“I refuse to have him latch on my shoulders.” Tsukki responded, causing the others, including herself to turn his way. She noted the usual calm demeanor etched on his face and wished she could be as collected and cool as the blond middle blocker. “Also, his highness is too tall, as is Yamaguchi,” Tsukki continued. He paused for a moment, clearly calculating his next words carefully before proceeding, “which leaves you,  _ if _ you join, and given your small...stature...it shouldn’t be a big deal.” The tall blond finished with a casual shrug. 

Yachi bit the inside of her cheek. A part of her wanted to say no, perhaps make up some lame excuse but the other part of her- the part that was finally opening up to these boys, the part that had spent every single afternoon at practice with them, didn’t want to disappoint. So, much to her own surprise, Yachi Hitoka found herself saying yes. 


	5. 2nd Year - Continued

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima Kei had large hands. This wasn’t exactly brand new information. It was a known fact, one that Yachi knew since they were first years. Tsukki had long, nimble fingers that through the years bore the scars of an athlete. From clipped nails, to cuts, to nearly broken fingers, to actual broken fingers, Yachi has seen and been through it all. [A Tsukishima Kei x Yachi Hitoka fic ]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> I thought I'd end the weekend by posting Part II of the last chapter. Be prepared for some fluffy, cute moments because I am a sucker for that haha. I know I said I'd end it after 5 chapters but these TsukkiYachi moments are taking over me and I just can't (won't) stop haha. 
> 
> This chapter is more Yachi centered, so yeah, hope you guys like this chapter and see you soon...ish!

**2nd Year**

**Of Teamwork and Sports Festivals (Part II)**

Karasuno High School’s sports day festival came in the blink of an eye. The few days leading up to it had been an absolute blur for Yachi, and by the time the entrance ceremony and announcements concluded, she was a complete bundle of nerves. Their event was fourth on the line-up, giving her a few moments to calm herself down and mentally prep herself. 

Her teammates were in a much better state than her - then again, Kageyama and Hinata lived for competition. While the dynamic duo, accompanied by Yamaguchi, talked strategies, she found her mind wandering off away from the conversation. In a few moments she would be out in the field with her team and their competitors. Hinata had reassured her that based on his and Kageyama’s intel, aka their not-so-discreet snooping, the competition (the other 2nd years) they were up against weren’t a threat. 

Kageyama had confidently declared that with their combined athletic prowess and much to his dissatisfaction, Tsukishima’s towering height, they were certain to win the event. 

Yachi was not nervous about losing, no, not at all. She believed in her boys and echoed Kageyama’s sentiment that they were at a - no pun intended, _higher_ advantage with Tsukishima on their side. 

What frazzled her however, was the aforementioned middle blocker. But more specifically, the too-close-for comfort contact she was about to find herself in. 

The week before the games, she had tried to keep calm herself and pretend that everything was okay. She went about her managerial duties and tried her best to remain as unfazed as ever. Though on the outside, she felt like she was doing a good job with masking her emotions, on the inside she was ready to burst. Ever since their small moment during last year’s game against Shiratorizawa, Yachi had suddenly found herself developing a slight crush on the middle blocker, one that she had tried so much to ignore. But no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t help but dive deeper into her feelings. 

Whether on or off the court, she admired Tsukishima and although most of the school and even his teammates knew him as someone with an arsenal of insults and a low tolerance for stupidity, Yachi had found herself in a completely different boat. She had seen other sides to him that others hadn’t.

She had seen him smile.

Seen him when he was deep in thought.

Heard his laugh.

And of course, there had been the moments in which he would offer her advice or words of encouragement whenever she started to doubt herself. 

Yachi groaned. As much as she wanted to not make things weird between them and to keep her feelings in check, without a doubt, Tsukishima Kei had made his way into her mind and into her heart.

She sighed defeatedly, bringing her knees closer to her chest. Tsukishima was her friend, and she was most certain that he saw her just as that, a friend, a manager, and nothing more. Aside from being a competitive athlete, he was a bright student who took advanced classes. Between school work, studying for exams and practicing non-stop, Yachi surmised that he _definitely_ had no time for romance. 

Romance and love were complicated anyway, the petite blonde thought. She had seen the ups and downs of love and although the beginning stages always seemed like a lot of fun, she was not blind to ignore the fact that love was a process and it took hard work. 

_Tsukishima-kun would probably just see it as bothersome,_ Yachi thought . _He’d probably think of it as a waste of time._

Yachi let out another sigh as she buried her face in her hands. _Get a grip, Hitoka. Now’s not the time to act like a lovesick shojo manga character. It’s better to put an end to this now than make things weirder._

_If he finds out, it’ll only make things awkward. It’ll ruin everything and we can’t have that!_

_Tsukishima-kun is your friend and we need to leave it at that. We cannot cross the line, we cannot make it weird, we cannot-_

A surprised gasp escaped her lips as she felt the weight of a pair of headphones draped over her ears. She quickly looked up and nearly fainted at the sight before her. Speak of the devil- crouched down in front of her was none other than Tsukishima. Someone up there must have really hated her. For a moment she remained frozen under his stare. He regarded her with a quiet, calculated gaze that made her cheeks flush and her pulse race.

If it weren’t for the headphones over her ears, she was certain that she would be able to hear the frantic beating of her heart.

From his headphones she could hear the light, sound of instrumental music playing. She’s surprised to hear the sound but finds it oddly comforting. 

_Is this what he listens to?_ She thought to herself, slowly getting lost in the calm. _This...this is nice._

“If you keep frowning like that, you’ll have lines on your forehead,” Tsukki stated simply as he lightly pressed his index finger between her brows. 

“T-tsukishima-kun!” Yachi yelped, completely taken back by the sudden contact. She quickly began to pry off his headphones but found her actions halted. With his hands covering hers, to keep the headphones in place, the tall blond stilled her movement. 

“Athletes often play a lot of fast-paced music before a game to pump themselves up,” he began, “but I prefer listening to something calmer. When your adrenaline is rushing, you tend to act on impulse. But when you’re calm, it gives you a moment of clarity, a moment to be more careful and calculated with your actions.” He offered her a smile as he moved their hands together and readjusted his headphones over her ears. “You looked like your mind was racing. Are you worried about the event, Yachi-san?” 

She lets out a nervous laugh as she waved her hands defensively. “N-no, it’s not that. I just have a lot on my mind, that’s all!”

 _You...you’re the one that’s on my mind._ Yachi thought but quickly shooed the intrusive thoughts away. 

“Are you worried that I’d drop you?” Tsukki asked with a slight smirk. Yachi groaned, with that smirk she knew she was a goner. The blush she had tried so hard to suppress was quickly creeping back and no matter how hard she tried, she knew there was no way to successfully hide it. 

“No! Of course not! I completely put my trust in you, Tsukishima-kun.” She replied quickly. 

He nodded at her response, the ever-knowing smirk still plastered on his lips. “If you completely put your trust in me, Yachi-san, then why do you look so worried?” 

Yachi paled. If there was ever a moment that made her feel like a deer caught in a hunter’s trap, it was now. She was the defenseless prey and Tsukishima the all-knowing hunter. There was no way she was admitting to him that she had been thinking of him. Absolutely, no way! She had to think of a reason, a different reason and she had to think of one fast. 

“Um...I...I’m afraid you might think I’m too heavy.” She blurted out quickly. It was not the best excuse but it was an excuse nevertheless. “I...I don’t want to burden you, Tsukishima-kun,” she continued as she laughed feebly. 

_Really, Hitoka? That’s the best excuse you could come up with?_ She mentally scolded herself. 

Slowly she met his gaze and knew in an instant that the tall blond was not buying it. Not at all. Yachi groaned as she mentally slapped herself. _Crap! He’s going to know, he’s going to know, he’s going to-_

Without warning, Tsukishima swiftly took hold of Yachi’s arms, pulling her up from the floor. A surprised gasp escaped her lips, as he pulled her towards him and in one swift and absolutely bold move, picked her up effortlessly, his hands securely around her waist. 

Yachi blushed furiously as she instinctively placed her hands on his shoulders to steady herself. 

“You were saying?” Tsukishima smirked as he continued to hold the small manager suspended in the air. 

“T-tsukishima-kun, p-please put me down!” She managed to yelp out as she could feel the countless pairs of eyes on them. 

_What is he doing? Why is he doing this?_ Yachi thought frantically. _He’s drawing attention to us! He hates attention! I hate attention!_

“Oi, Tsukishima, put her down before you drop her!” She could hear Hinata call out.

“The event hasn’t started yet bean-pole, save your strength.” Kageyama added loudly. 

Slowly he set the club manager down. With her feet planted firmly on the ground, Yachi begged to whatever deity was listening to please, please have the ground swallow her whole. 

“You’re pretty light, Yachi-san.” Tsukishima stated with a casual shrug, as if he had just not picked her up randomly for the whole school to see. 

“You didn’t have to do all that,” she mumbled, still too embarrassed to look his way.

“I know I didn’t have to,” he began as he readjusted the headphones back over her ears, the light melody playing over the speakers once more. “But I wanted to.”

She watched as he began his retreat, walking towards Yamaguchi and the others. With her heart still racing wildly against her chest, and the soothing instrumental beats blasting through the headphones, Yachi Hitoka knew that this was going to be one _long_ event. 

Was she ready for the event? Of course not!

Was she excited? A small smile graced her lips as Tsukishima’s words raced through her mind.

_But I wanted to…_


	6. 2nd Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima Kei had large hands. This wasn’t exactly brand new information. It was a known fact, one that Yachi knew since they were first years. Tsukki had long, nimble fingers that through the years bore the scars of an athlete. From clipped nails, to cuts, to nearly broken fingers, to actual broken fingers, Yachi has seen and been through it all. [A Tsukishima Kei x Yachi Hitoka fic ]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> First of all, I'd like to say thank you so much to those who've read and tuned in to this fic :) I appreciate it! Second - I know it's been a while (that adult work life has held me prisoner haha) but I had to write this chapter out because I miss my rare pair haha. 
> 
> Now that we are in the month of December and temperatures are getting colder, I thought about writing a little scene where our salty king and cinnamon roll find themselves sharing a glove haha. Have you guys ever tried sharing one glove with another person? I've tried doing it just to be annoying and of course, we stretched the crap out of the glove! Anyway, on to the story and hope you guys like it!

**2nd Year:**

**Gloves**

“How could you leave your gloves at home? The forecast all week has been saying snow.” 

Yachi groaned miserably. 

The light dusting of snow earlier that day had now practically covered the area surrounding the gym by the time volleyball practice had come to an end. Coach Ukai and Takeda-sensei had called it a night, considering that the snow was starting to pile up and the temperatures were going down. There was also the case of Hinata, who biked home, and had to travel in such conditions. 

“We don’t need you dying, dork.” Kageyama had casually remarked, which of course, turned into a back and forth banter between the setter and the middle blocker. 

Zipping up her jacket, Yachi turned to Tsukishima with a feeble smile. “Ah - I was in a rush this morning and ran out of the house,” she explained defeatedly.

If it weren’t for her alarm not waking her up, she wouldn’t have made such a mad dash to school that morning and would have had more time to check on all her belongings before leaving. But alas, today was  _ not  _ her day and the petite blond sighed in defeat as she thought about her warm, woolen mittens left behind on her kitchen counter. 

From beside her she could hear a sigh escape from Tsukishima’s lips. It was a sigh she knew oh too well, the sigh typically reserved for Hinata and his foolish antics, and now apparently,  _ her _ !

_ He probably thinks I’m such a scatterbrain.  _ Yachi thought bitterly.  _ Why can’t I just be cool for once, ugh, get it together Hitoka! _

As much as she wanted to think that she’d matured and changed a bit since last year, some old habits were definitely hard to kill.

_ Cool like, Shimizu-senpai. Cool like, Shimizu-senpai.  _ She repeated the mantra over and over in her mind, when suddenly-

“Here,” 

Her eyes quickly darted back towards Tsukishima. She watches in surprise as he hands towards her a pair of black gloves-  _ his gloves _ . 

For a moment she finds herself just staring, unable to make a move. 

“Do you not want them?” Tsukishima asks, finally breaking her from her trance.

She nervously reaches for the gloves, accepting them shyly as the soft fabric brushes against her fingertips. “But what about-”

“I’ll be fine,” the middle blocker replied,  _ a tad bit too quickly _ , as he shoved both hands in his pockets. “You get cold easily, you need it more.”   
She’s taken back by his comment. A feeling of warmth suddenly spreading across her cheeks. 

“Put them on,” Tsukishima muttered, “I’ll walk you to your bus stop.” Though he’s not directly looking her way, Yachi takes note of the slight color on his cheeks, and she can’t help but smile. 

Slowly she begins to put them on. Tsukishima’s gloves, as expected, were  _ too _ big on her and she can’t help but chuckle at how silly it looks on her small hands. 

“I can fit another hand in here!” Yachi exclaimed, wiggling her fingers animatedly. 

The middle blocker watches her in amusement, shaking his head lightly at her actions. “Silly,” he mutters, taking one hand out of his pocket and pressing his index finger on her forehead. 

_ Silly, girl.  _ Tsukishima thought. He tries hiding his amusement but his lips betray him.

“I’ve got it!” Yachi declares suddenly. “Tsukishima-kun, give me your hand!”

“Huh?” He looks at her with a raised brow.

“Give me your hand, Tsukishima-kun,” Yachi repeats once more, as she begins peeling off one of his gloves. “Your gloves are big,” she begins.

“Yes, we’ve established that, Yachi-san.” Tsukishima replies, still unsure where the petite manager was going with this.

“And my hands are small,” she continues.

“Hm, impressive observations, Yachi-san.” 

She ignores his smart quip and continues, “So technically we can share, since my hands don’t take up too much space!” There’s a twinkle of excitement in her eyes and a huge smile on her face, as if she’s just solved a great mystery. Tsukishima regards her silently and can’t help but find her reaction to be  _ very _ adorable and  _ hard  _ to ignore. 

“Yachi-san,” it’s his turn to speak now. 

“Hm?”

“Your logic amuses me.” Tsukishima states with a slight chuckle. “My gloves will fit  _ me _ , Yachi-san because they’re  _ mine _ . But if we add your hand, we’ll just end up stretching the thing.”

It takes a moment for Yachi to piece his words together and when she finally does she pales as realization hits her like a truck.

Oh.

He made sense.

He made much more sense than her.

_ Kami-sama, what was I thinking!  _ Yachi cringed.  _ Oh, that’s right, I wasn’t thinking!  _ She groaned at her foolishness.  _ I got too excited and all logic went out the window!  _

_ Oh god, why did I even suggest that? _

_ Cool like Shimizu-senpai, cool like Shimi- ah! Who am I kidding! _

Tsukishima continued to watch in amusement as her warring thoughts got the best of her. 

In one swift move, he takes the glove from her hands and slips them on his own. He proceeds to reach for one of her hands, his unexpected touch promptly stopping her internal battle, as he slips her much smaller hand inside his gloved one. 

It’s a tight fit and the contact between their fingers sends Yachi into overdrive. 

“I’m sorry for suggesting this! Ah! Tsukishima-kun, we’re stretching out your glove!” she exclaims, trying to quickly pull her hand out but finds his own holding it in place. 

“It can’t be helped,” the blond middle blocker replies simply with a casual shrug, as the feel of her soft hand against his, brings a smile to his lips.


	7. 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima Kei had large hands. This wasn’t exactly brand new information. It was a known fact, one that Yachi knew since they were first years. Tsukki had long, nimble fingers that through the years bore the scars of an athlete. From clipped nails, to cuts, to nearly broken fingers, to actual broken fingers, Yachi has seen and been through it all. [A Tsukishima Kei x Yachi Hitoka fic ]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely readers!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading my story! I love reading your comments, so please keep them coming, I do appreciate them! Also, over the weekend I wrote a more angsty/sad Haikyuu fic (cue shameless promotion here!) It's called "The Change of Years" - so if you feel like feeling some angst and taking a ride on the feels express, please do check it out and let me know what you guys think!
> 
> So, here I am once again with another chapter! This time it takes place after High School, so both our characters are in their late 20s. Hope you guys like it! I have probably 2 or 3 more chapters to go of this story, before it finally comes to an end. So I hope to see you all until the very end!

**27**

**Strawberry Shortcake**

Yachi had been mid bite when she first spotted him standing outside. Dressed in a crisp pair of dark pants, a black turtleneck and a brown overcoat, Tsukishima Kei looked absolutely handsome, and Yachi found herself unable to stop staring. 

The former Karasuno High School middle blocker had grown up to be quite a fine specimen and the years were definitely more than kind to him, given his impressive physique and stature. 

_ Gosh, he’s gorgeous.  _ Yachi thought to herself. Time had not aged Tsukishima. Aside from the additional height and the leaner built to his body, he still looked the same, and although she felt like a creep for staring so openly, she couldn’t help but continue to regard the former volleyball player. 

_ After all, what’s the harm in looking?  _

She watched curiously as Tsukishima dug through his coat pocket, pulling out his phone. There’s a deep frown on his face, one she’s seen plenty of times before. He scrolls through his phone for a moment, before placing it over his ear. 

_ I wonder who he’s calling.  _ The former manager thought. There’s a thrill in her bones as she continues to watch him secretly. It’s almost as if she’s the hunter and Tsukishima the unknowing prey. She knows that she should probably stop, but a part of her wants to see how long she can go on with this game without getting caught. 

He’s not on the phone for long and she watches as he puts his phone away. Yachi sighs in disappointment.  _ That was quick.  _ She expects him to leave, to walk back to where he came from but instead, their eyes meet. 

Yachi nearly falls out of her chair as his light brown eyes lock on with hers and complete panic sets in as she watches him walk towards the entrance of the cafe. 

_ Oh no, oh no.  _

_ This wasn’t supposed to happen. _

_ He wasn’t supposed to see me! _

The tables have now turned. She, who had once been the overly confident hunter, was now the prey. She’s frantically trying to find a way to explain herself when she notices Tsukishima’s looming presence before her. 

Slowly, she raises her eyes to meet his own. There’s silence between them as Tsukishima looks at her cautiously. She can feel the scrutiny behind his gaze and as much as she wanted to evade it, she knows she can’t. He has a hold on her now, and all she can do is sit and wither under his calculated stare. 

“Um...n-nice seeing you here, Kei-kun,” Yachi begins, her throat feeling unexpectedly dry. She reaches for the glass of water next to her and sips from the straw nervously. 

A deep sigh escapes his lips and Yachi shudders, “what am I going to do with you?” He pulls the chair across from her and takes a seat. His long legs brushing against hers. 

For a moment, neither Yachi or Tsukishima say a word. With her water glass empty, she resorts to fiddling with the ice cubes with her straw. 

“I called your secretary, she said you stepped out.” Tsukishima begins, finally breaking the silence between them. “Really, Hitoka? Here, of all places?” 

Like a child who's been caught in the wrong, Yachi groaned. “I was craving something sweet, Kei!” she argued defensively. 

“Hitoka, your sugar levels are high!”

Yachi frowned, her hand slowly moving towards her swollen stomach. With a pout, which at the moment she knew wasn’t going to work, she locked eyes with her husband, who although was upset - was not truly angry with her.

“Your baby wanted cake,” she mumbled like a petulant child, as she tried to discreetly hide the last bits of uneaten cake underneath her napkin. 

She wasn’t lying though. A few hours after her meeting had ended, she had a sudden craving for cake - strawberry shortcake of all things to be exact. 

She watched as the corner of her husband’s lips twitch upwards, making way for the smirk that she’s come to know oh-too well. 

“Oh, I bet he did,” Tsukishima says with a grin. 

“It’s true! Your son demanded cake and so who am I to deprive him of that?” Yachi replies.

Shaking his head in amusement, Tsukishima rises from his seat and crouches before his wife. His large hand settling on her protruding belly. “Oi, little one, stop asking for cake, next time have your mother go for some fruit or something healthier.” 

“But I did have some fruit, Kei-kun,” Yachi says with a wide smile as she places her much smaller hand over his, “the cake had strawberries. I’d say that’s a good balance.” 


	8. 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima Kei had large hands. This wasn’t exactly brand new information. It was a known fact, one that Yachi knew since they were first years. Tsukki had long, nimble fingers that through the years bore the scars of an athlete. From clipped nails, to cuts, to nearly broken fingers, to actual broken fingers, Yachi has seen and been through it all. [A Tsukishima Kei x Yachi Hitoka fic ]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas! Thank you so much for all the love for this story :) I appreciate it so much! I am struggling to part with this fic, but I know it must eventually come to an end soon! But don't fret, I have a few more stories up my sleeve that I will definitely share as well! I enjoyed writing domestic life TsukkiYachi, so here's another one haha! Consider this as a "prequel" to the last chapter, which by the way, I'm so glad that you guys enjoyed it hehehe...did you like my little twist? hehe...

**27**

**Together**

Tsukishima Kei was 99.9% certain that his wife was pregnant. 

As someone who prided himself for his keen attention to detail and superb observational skills, it didn’t take him long to notice the sudden change in Yachi’s demeanor. Earlier in the week, in the early hours of dawn, she had bolted straight up from their bed, startling him, as she made a mad dash towards their bathroom. She had claimed food poisoning, an unfortunate aftermath from her night out with Shimizu and Saeko, but something deep down told him otherwise. 

Three days later, the supposed case of food poisoning was still a regular occurrence, one that was taking a toll on his poor wife who still remained convinced that her ailment would simply pass. 

“I think you're pregnant,” the former middle blocker stated bluntly, rubbing circles on his wife’s back as she curled up, tiredly next to him on their couch. She had just emerged back from the bathroom yet again, after emptying tonight’s dinner. 

“Don’t joke like that, Kei.” Yachi mumbled, not even bothering to look up, her face buried against his chest. 

Tsukishima shrugged, “I’m not,” he replied simply, “I mean, we have been do-”

“Don’t you dare finish that!” Yachi yelped, her face burning red with embarrassment, as she quickly sat up to meet her husband’s gaze, a visible smirk plastered on his lips. 

“It’s completely normal. Husbands and wives tend to-”

“Tsukishima Kei, not another word!” Yachi demanded, as she clamps her small hands over her husband’s lips. Tsukishima laughed, clearly enjoying his wife’s reaction. 

He plants a kiss on her hands, the feel of his lips sending a thrill down her spine. 

“Let’s just take a test, Hitoka,” he suggests simply. “It’s been three days. Food poisoning usually doesn’t last that long and besides, you keep refusing to go see a doctor, which I don’t get by the way.” Tsukishima sighed, pulling his wife closer towards him. “What’s going on? Talk to me.”

For a moment, he’s met with silence. He watches his wife as she shifts her position, seating herself on his lap and burying her face in the crook of his neck. Tsukishima smiles, wrapping his arms around her, engulfing her in a tight, warm embrace. 

“I...I’m afraid-” Yachi began softly. 

His wife’s response surprises him and he holds her closer. “Of becoming a mother?” 

“Of everything, Kei.” Yachi finally looks up, her light brown eyes brimming with tears. “Things will change. We’ve only been married for two years and I know we said we would wait a few years before having kids, but clearly here we are! Also, what about our jobs? What about money? Babies are  _ very _ expensive, Kei and we just-”

He silences her fears with a kiss, one he deepens when he feels her lips respond to his. Slowly, he pulls away, wiping the lingering tears from her eyes and he cradles her face with his hands. “Sorry for cutting you off,” he begins, holding her gaze within his own. “Hitoka, I love you,” he begins softly, “I know that this must be scary, change is always scary but you’re not alone.”

“Kei-”

“Now, I’m going to run to the pharmacy and grab a test. If you are pregnant, which I’m pretty certain you are, then we’ll take it from there. Regardless of the outcome, we have each other’s backs and we’ll get through this as a  _ team _ .” 

“When did my husband become so cool?” A smile appears on Yahci’s lips as she hugs her husband tightly. “That’s quite the speech, Kei.” 

Tsukishima rolls his eyes at her words. “I've always been cool," he mumbles, hugging her back. Yachi let's out a soft laugh at his response. 

The trip to the pharmacy doesn't take him long. After fifteen minutes, Tsukishima returns home with a plastic bag filled with pregnancy tests. Yachi eyes each test nervously as she goes through each box. 

“I figured to get a bunch, just in case.” Tsukishima states with a shrug.

“ _ A bunch _ ? Kei, there's fifteen tests in here,” Yachi gasps.

The taller blonde simply nods as he takes hold of the plastic bag in one hand, and reaches for his wife’s hand with the other.

“Ready?” Tsukishima asks.

Yachi nods, taking his hand and squeezing it tightly. 

No matter the outcome, which Tsukishima Kei already knew, he would always have his wife’s back and with his hand holding hers, they would take on anything and everything... _together_. 


	9. 3rd Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima Kei had large hands. This wasn’t exactly brand new information. It was a known fact, one that Yachi knew since they were first years. Tsukki had long, nimble fingers that through the years bore the scars of an athlete. From clipped nails, to cuts, to nearly broken fingers, to actual broken fingers, Yachi has seen and been through it all. [A Tsukishima Kei x Yachi Hitoka fic ]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!  
> I am officially on "break" for the next couple of days and so I decided since Christmas is still pretty fresh in our minds, to post up my Christmas centered TsukiYachi chapter! Ah, so here we are, my belated Christmas gift to you all hehe. Thanks so much once again for reading, you guys rock!

**3rd Year**

**Someone Special**

“What should we get Yachi-san for Christmas?”

“What did we get her last year, again?”

“Boke! Wasn’t it your job to keep track?”

“Me? When did that become  _ my  _ job?”

“Since you mooched off last year’s gift!”

“I was short in cash, baka-yama! I paid you back!”

“Yeah, a  _ year  _ later.” 

“I still paid you back!” 

There was absolute mayhem in the club room by the time Tsukishima walked in, his soft greeting completely ignored by his teammates who were loudly talking - or rather,  _ screaming  _ over one another. 

The sight was nothing new to him, considering that he did have Kageyama and Hinata as teammates. The two combined were explosive both on and off the court. So without much thought, the middle blocker dusted off the snow from his coat, and made his way further inside the room, walking towards Yamaguchi, who unlike the others was sitting quietly, working on his homework.

“What’s this?” Tsukishima asked, seating himself next to the volleyball club captain. 

“ _ That _ ?” Yamaguchi began, momentarily looking up from his notes, “has been going on for 20 minutes now.” The third year captain chuckled to himself, “They’ve been arguing as to what to get Yachi-san for Christmas.”

Tsukishima nodded in silent regard. Christmas was indeed right around the corner,  _ ten days _ to be exact. 

“It’s currently a debate between a coupon to some bakery or a coupon to a bathhouse.” 

Tsukishima grimaced. __

_ Really? _ Was that the best his teammates could come up with? Then again, he wasn’t completely surprised- after all, this was Kageyama and Hinata, the two basically shared one brain cell. 

He let out a deep sigh, one that did not go unnoticed by Yamaguchi who laughed at his reaction. “I know, they’re hopeless but that’s the winning options so far.”

“And everyone else in the team is agreeing to this?” He asked with a raised brow, refusing to believe that the rest of his teammates were all in agreement.

“Oh no. Apparently, the first and second years got their gifts a while back already. They refuse to have anyone else piggy-back off theirs.” Digging through his bag, Yamaguchi pulled out a dark green envelope. Tsukishima eyed the envelope curiously. “Before you go and lump me with them,” the captain pointed to the arguing duo, “I already have a gift too,” he declared with a proud grin. “I’m not really the creative type, so I figured a christmas card with a nice message would do. Besides, when I asked Yachi-san what she wanted, she said she didn’t want anything.” 

Tsukishima nodded. Christmas cards were simple,  _ classic _ ; an option he wouldn’t mind considering at all. 

“Oi, don’t tell me you got her a card too?”

_ Or maybe not. _

Both Tsukishima and Yamaguchi turned to their first year middle blocker, Suzuki Akio, who pointed in disbelief and disappointment at the card in Yamaguchi’s hands. The middle blocker plopped himself next to the two and groaned. 

“The first year’s pitched in to get Yachi-senpai a card too!” He wailed, pulling out a deep red envelope covered in santa stickers from his backpack. 

Tsukishima watched in silence as the two players went back and forth, trying to convince one another to pick a different present. 

“The stationary store had a sale,” Yamaguchi declared, “I already wrote on her card.”

“I know! That’s where I got it from,” Akio replied, “and the first year’s wrote on her card too!” 

The middle blocker sighed deeply. 

Yep, he was  _ definitely  _ not getting Yachi a christmas card. He thought about his other options. He didn’t have a lot of money, so buying something expensive was definitely out of the window. He wanted to give her something practical, something she could put to good use and not go to waste.

Also, though he wouldn’t admit it out loud, he wanted to give her something  _ special _ . The petite blonde had become a special part of his life. He valued her friendship and enjoyed her company. He loved the way her presence always lit up the room, her warm smile and kind eyes always putting him and everyone around her at ease. Without a doubt, Yachi Hitoka had burrowed herself deep within his heart and mind, and for their last Christmas together as third years, he wanted to show her just how much she meant to him. 

He knew she loved art - but they had already gifted her with an art set the year before. 

She loved taking down notes - but a notebook, though practical, didn’t seem so special.

_ Ten days. I have ten days to come up with a present.  _ Tsukishima thought deeply. 

By the time practice ended, Tsukishima was more than ready to go home. Heavy snow was expected to come down soon and the last thing he wanted was to walk home during a storm. 

As expected, Hinata and Kageyama remained on the court, insisting to Coach Ukai and Takeda-sensei that they needed more practice. Not wanting to get into a back and forth banter between the two, Coach Ukai offered the duo an additional ten minutes to which the two accepted enthusiastically. 

“Are you heading home?” Tsukishima turned to Yamaguchi as the two walked to the side of the court to pick up their things.

“Ah, gomen Tsukki, I was going to drop by to check in with Shimada-san before heading home.”

Tsukishima nodded.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Yamaguchi called out. He offers a quick wave to Yamaguchi, as he makes his way towards the club room. 

\---------------

“I’m home,” Tsukishima declared, as he took off his snow covered coat and shoes. 

“Welcome home, Kei,” his mother greeted with a warm smile. “Did you get caught in the snow fall?” 

“Hn, just a bit.” He takes off his glasses, wiping off the fog from his lenses. With his glasses cleaned, he proceeds to walk towards the living room and seats himself across from his mother. “What are you making?” He gestures to the stack of yarn and knitting tools currently pooled by his mother’s feet. 

“Our neighbor, Ichimura-san, his daughter just had a baby and I wanted to make the little one something special.”

Tsukishima gives a curt nod. It’s a silly thing, but he can’t help but be drawn in as he watches carefully as his mother works through the yarn and needle with such ease. He mimics her movements in his head, drilling into his mind the motions. 

“Is that difficult to do?” He finds himself suddenly asking. 

His mother looks up, her warm eyes meeting his, “It depends what you’re trying to make.” she replies simply.

“How about a scarf?” 

“Is my son planning on making a scarf for someone special perhaps?” His mother teases and Tsukishima instantly looks away. 

“I was just asking,” he replies quickly. “Don’t misunderstand.”

His mother laughs at his response, setting her yarn and needle down briefly to ruffle his hair. “Depending on how big you want the scarf to be and how much time you want to set aside making it, I’d say it can be done in about a week or two.”

He nods to himself at his mother’s response. He had ten days until Christmas, which didn’t give him much time and given his tight schedule, he knew that he would have to be methodic with this. With a sigh he turns to his mother, “can you teach me to knit a scarf?” 

It doesn’t take him long to figure out the motions. A few hours and several knitting tutorial videos later, his “scarf” slowly takes shape. It’s nearing midnight by the time he calls it a night and sets the yarn and needles down. There’s a dull ache in his hands, but he doesn’t mind. The excitement he has currently outweighs any cramp or ache.

For several nights he repeats his routine. He’s grateful for his mother’s help, who while he’s at school, has taken it upon herself to fix any knitting errors he’s made. The days pass quickly and in the blink of an eye, Christmas finally arrives. 

Tsukishima examines the scarf carefully. It’s not as crisp as the ones at the store, but for a first time knitter, he feels proud of his creation. 

“She’ll love it,” his mother adds, as she wraps the scarf carefully. 

Tsukishima looks away, a blush on his cheeks. “Do you think it's...lame?” 

“Goodness no! If a boy spent his time making me a gift rather than buying one, I’d say that’s a pretty sweet gesture.”

“You’re only saying that because you're my mom.” Tsukishima mumbles, but deep down he feels pleased with what he’s done. 

“I can’t wait to meet this young lady,” his mom says with a wink as she hands him the neatly wrapped present. “She must be someone really special.” A small smile graces his lips as he holds on to Yachi’s present tightly. 

By the time the last bell of the day rings, Tsukishima is a bundle of nerves. With Yachi’s present safely stored in his bag, he carefully makes his way towards the gym. Earlier in the day, he had sent a text to Yachi asking her to meet him there and with practice cancelled, he was glad to find time to do so and have the space to themselves. 

She’s already at the gym, by the time he arrives. There’s a smile on her face, one that sends his heart beating into overdrive, as he makes his approach. “Thanks for meeting me,” he begins softly, stopping a few steps before her. He feels his cheeks getting warm and he prays to whatever deity is listening that she doesn’t notice. 

“Ah, it’s not a problem. Is everything alright?” There’s a look of absolute worry etched on her face and he feels bad for being too secretive about their meeting. 

He gives her a curt nod, before proceeding to dig through his bag to fish out her present. “I...um...I didn’t want to be obnoxious about this.” Tsukishima mumbles, as he offers her the wrapped present. “Merry Christmas, Hitoka-chan.”

There’s a look of surprise on Yachi’s face and for a moment, he wishes that he had not made such a big deal about this and had given her his present when Kageyama, Hinata and Yamaguchi had given theirs. Carefully, she reaches for the present, her small hands grasping the wrapping tightly. There’s a look of pure concentration etched on her face as she begins to undo the wrapping paper. It doesn’t take long and after a few moments, she finally sets the gift free. “Wow,” he hears her gasp as she pulls out the carefully folded knitted scarf. “This is so beautiful, Kei-kun.” 

He regards her quietly as she traces a finger across the knitting. Though it took him several tries, he added a small addition to the scarf, one that would remind her of him. A tiny knitted pattern of a crescent moon. He feels his throat go dry as her fingers linger over the pattern, tracing it over and over again. 

“Tsuki,” she whispers. 

Whether she was referring to him or the pattern on the scarf, he wasn’t sure. He clears his throat, still unable to look her in the eyes. “I had my mom help, you don’t have to be nice, I know the knitting isn’t that-”

His words fall short as he suddenly feels Yachi’s arms wrap around him. Her small body molding against his own  _ perfectly _ . For a moment, he remains frozen, too stunned to move or to say anything. Instead, he relishes the feel of her warm body against his own, slowly drawing his arms tightly against her, to engulf her in a hug. 

“Thank you, Kei-kun,” Yachi says softly, her arms still wrapped around his body. Slowly, she untangles herself, a huge smile on her face as she holds onto the scarf tightly. “I mean it, this is very beautiful.”

Tsukishima manages a nod, the rest of his body still processing the sudden physical contact he just had. 

“I...I uh, got you something too.” He hears Yachi say and this snaps him back to reality.

She extends a closed palm and slowly opens it to reveal a tiny dinosaur ornament made out of felt. 

“It was my first time making this,” Yachi explains, “but I knew you liked dinosaurs and I wanted to make you something special.” 

_ Something special.  _

Tsukishima smiled warmly as he took her hand within his own, his mother’s voice ringing in his ears. 

_ She must be someone really special. _

_ Yes, mom. She really is... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I typically don't write notes at the end, but here I am! Please note that I know nothing about knitting haha and my knowledge of knitting stems from google searches and Youtube videos haha. Also, have you guys ever seen those felt animals? If you google felt animal ornaments, you'll see what I had Yachi make hehe except it's in dinosaur form lol. Thank you Etsy for serving as inspiration!


	10. 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima Kei had large hands. This wasn’t exactly brand new information. It was a known fact, one that Yachi knew since they were first years. Tsukki had long, nimble fingers that through the years bore the scars of an athlete. From clipped nails, to cuts, to nearly broken fingers, to actual broken fingers, Yachi has seen and been through it all. [A Tsukishima Kei x Yachi Hitoka fic ]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> First of all, Happy New Year! I hope you guys are having a good start to the year so far. So here we are...this is it, the last chapter of "Hands." I am having a really hard time parting with this fic but I know it must come to an end. I hope you guys enjoyed this rare pair journey of Tsuki and Yachi. I appreciate all the love and feedback you guys have given me for this story and I hope you follow me into the next journey! 
> 
> Cue shameless promotion here haha: I currently have a new story up, it is a Kageyama x Tsukishima friendship fic called "Unlikely Travel Companions," so if you haven't checked it out, get ready for some insane, hilarity between Kageyama, Hinata and Tsukishima in Brazil! 
> 
> Anyhoo...wanna be IG friends? Haha, if you guys are into manga/anime, come follow me and my BFF in our instagram @readingdojo for some anime/manga content! I love you all and thanks for reading this fic!

**32**

**Hands**

“Will it hurt, otosan?”

“Will what hurt?”

“Trying to stop the ball?”

A pair of light brown eyes locks with his own and Tsukishima can’t help but smile. His son, _Hiroki_ , stares at him with wide expressive eyes - _so much like Hitoka’s eyes,_ he muses, giving his son’s hand a reassuring squeeze. It’s his first day joining their neighborhood volleyball youth club, and the five year old, though excited to start playing, was also a bundle of nerves. 

He pauses for a moment and crouches down before his son. “You get used to it,” Tsukishima replies. He extends his hand for his son to see, hands that bore the scars of an athlete, hands that have trained for hours on end and that have defended and fought against the toughest of opponents -“there’ll be this moment while you’re playing, it happens unexpectedly and it may not even happen to everyone, but once you get to experience _that_ moment, it’ll really get you hooked.” 

Hiroki takes hold of his father’s hands. His much smaller ones tracing along every scar and callus he sees. “Mama says she used to tape your fingers before your games, because she didn’t want you getting hurt.” 

There’s a feeling of warmth that washes over Tsukishima. _Hitoka_ \- his sweet, beautiful wife. From age sixteen to twenty-five, she had _always_ been there for his moments on the court. 

“She says you were stubborn about it and wouldn’t let her do it,” the young boy continues, a wide grin, very much like his own, plastered on his lips. 

“Did she now?” The former middle blocker shakes his head. He was _definitely_ going to have a chat with his wife about _her_ version of this story. “Hm, what else did mama say, Hiroki?”

Before his son gets the chance to respond, there’s a sudden look of recognition in his eyes, and Tsukishima watches as his gaze lands on the approaching figure walking towards them. 

“Mama!” Hiroki calls out excitedly, running towards Yachi at full speed. 

There’s a huge smile on Yachi’s lips as she makes her approach towards them. “Careful now, my little darling.” Yachi giggles, as the young boy wraps his tiny arms around her swollen belly. 

“You didn’t have to go back home you know,” Tsukishima states, taking hold of the small medical bag in his wife’s hands. “We could have just gotten some tape at the gymnasium.” 

“It wasn’t that long of a walk back,” Yachi says with a dismissive wave, as she takes the athletic tape out. “It’s not like we’re late anyway... _coach_.”

Sixteen years ago, if someone told Tsukishima that at age 32, he’d be assistant director at the Sendai Museum of Natural History and youth volleyball coach on the weekends, he would have flat out laughed at the ridiculousness of it all.

Yet here he was at 32 - _married_ , _a father_ , with another child on the way - the middle blocker had truly come a long way. 

“Hiroki-kun, let’s tape those fingers of yours.” Yachi says, ruffling their little boy’s hair. 

“Just like, otosan?” The young boy asks excitedly. 

Yachi gives a simple nod, as she begins applying tape on her son’s fingers. From the side, Tsukishima watches as his wife works her magic. She’s done this so many times before, the motions so methodic yet quick. 

“You know, Hiroki, mama used to tape my fingers for me just so she could hold my hand.” He begins playfully, a smirk forming on his lips as he watches his wife’s reaction. 

Their son looks up and giggles, “That’s silly, mama!” 

Tsukishima laughs. There’s a blush on his wife's cheeks, one he finds completely adorable, “I...I did not!” Yachi stammers defensively. 

“Now, now my love, don't deny the truth."

His wife casts him a glare - an _adorable_ glare that does absolutely nothing but fan the flames of his amusement.

"It’s true,” Tsukishima continues to tease, carefully taking his wife’s free hand. Slowly, he closes the small space between them, “You know, if you wanted to hold my hand, you could have just asked.” He whispers softly as he raises her hand to meet his lips. 

Yachi lets out a hearty laugh, returning her focus on their son. "Hiroki-kun," she begins softly.

"Yes, mama?"

"Your otosan is an amazing middle blocker," she eyes her husband lovingly, "he's smart, loving and a very wonderful man." The young boy nods his head enthusiastically at his mother's words. "but...don't be _cheesy_ like that, okay?" 

Tsukishima stares at his wife incredulously, "Ha?!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we close this story :) Thank you, thank you so much for reading!  
> I'd like to imagine that Tsuki x Yachi after 16 years together are just full of silly yet sweet banters hehe. Also, check out Yachi in her 30s keeping her man humble haha.


	11. 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima Kei had large hands. This wasn’t exactly brand new information. It was a known fact, one that Yachi knew since they were first years. Tsukki had long, nimble fingers that through the years bore the scars of an athlete. From clipped nails, to cuts, to nearly broken fingers, to actual broken fingers, Yachi has seen and been through it all. [A Tsukishima Kei x Yachi Hitoka fic ]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Insert Tik-Tok here* Suuurprriiisee Shawty!! 
> 
> Um...Hi all! So, clearly I have a problem with parting with this story and had to add this extra bit. This has been in my drafts and all of last night and this morning I typed up this chapter because Tsukishima Kei x Yachi Hitoka own my soul and I wanted to continue with the cheesy moments. 
> 
> On a side note, the inspiration of this story is based on the song "Sweet Night" by V (from BTS) - If you guys haven't heard that song, I had it on loop while typing this because I needed me some inspo! Anyway, this I promise is it for this story! I have a new one up hehe so please check it out :) I love you all!

**24**

**Stars**

Tsukishima Kei loved to watch Yachi sleep. 

In the deep of the night, while the rest of the world lay in slumber, he always found himself wide awake. There was a serene calm, one he would never get tired of as he lay on his bed, listening to the rustling of the trees outside the window, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and of course, the feel of her warm body, perfectly molded against his. 

Tonight was no different. With Yachi cradled securely in his arms, with her head on his chest, Tsukishima felt  _ absolutely  _ complete. 

He smiles to himself as he watches her lovingly. Her eyes are closed now, but he smiles as he thinks of her warm, honey colored eyes. Eyes he can drown in, eyes that twinkle when she’s happy, that light up when she’s excited and ones that he’s had to kiss softly to stop the tears. 

His gaze falls lower, landing on her mouth. Her soft, small lips are partly opened, lips he’s kissed plenty of times and lips he’ll kiss forevermore. If someone were to tell him at sixteen that eight years later he would feel this happy, this full, he would have laughed and brushed it off. Yet here he was at twenty-four, with his world in his arms.

He tucks a loose strand of hair that falls over her face, and she stirs slightly but doesn’t wake. Instead, her small hand grasps the fabric of his shirt tighter. He slowly unclasps her small hands from his shirt, gently bringing it up to his lips before entwining her fingers with his own.

He thinks back to his time in High School. The butterflies he felt when she’d take his hand to check him for injuries, or to tape his fingers for him. His heart had raced so much then but he knew that for as long as he lived, he never wanted to let go.

He thinks back to all their memories since then. Nights out with friends, secret glances, secret touches and secret smiles, and when he finally confessed to her, and how she jumped into his arms, knocking them both over on the grass as they spent the rest of that night looking up at the stars. 

Stars…

Her energy, her laughter, her presence, her love, they dotted his world like a constellation of stars.

For a moment he lets go of her hand and reaches for a small box on the nightstand. He opens it slowly, revealing a ring; one that despite the cover of darkness sparkles beautifully. He takes the ring from its box, before carefully slipping it on where it belongs.

“Kei, what are you doing?” Yachi mumbles through the haze of sleep. She looks up at him through partially opened eyes. He doesn’t say a word, instead he continues to watch her lovingly. “You’re so weird, Kei.” She mumbles teasingly as she begins to rub the sleep from her eyes, but stops short. 

She’s a bit more alert now, her eyes, though still clouded with sleep, are opened and he watches as she draws her hand closer. 

The round, yellow sapphire ring stares back at her. 

“Kei?” she whispers, her eyes darting between him and the ring on her finger.

“I thought about how I wanted to do this,” he begins softly. “Every night when I watch you sleep, it made me realize that  _ this  _ is how I want it to be.” He sits up on the bed, taking her with him. “You’re it for me, Hitoka. You’re my best friend, my biggest cheerleader-”

“Let’s not tell Akiteru-san that,” she jokes and they both laugh. 

“You make me say super cheesy things, but if it means that I can hear your laugh, watch you smile and see you happy, then so be it. I love you-”

“To the moon and back?” she adds with a wide grin as she moves herself closer towards him.

“Yes, Hitoka. To the moon and back, infinity and beyond and whatever other saying you can think of.”

Her lips are warm against his. So full of love and happiness. How had he gotten so lucky? He wasn’t quite sure, but he thanked his lucky stars for that.


End file.
